Lived
by The Nightdreamer
Summary: AU in the second movie, the geysers scene. What if one member of the herd didn't make it? Series of one-shots whirling around the herd before and after the first chapter (Mostly based on it, so I recommend you read the first chapter first).
1. Life

Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.

They looked at the geysers in front of them, which were practically screaming 'DANGER'! Sid chuckled nervously, looking at the herd. "Oh, it's just a little hot water and steam, right guys?" They watched on as a turkey walked across, and got shot by one of the rising hot water. The strong burst of water shot up, and the turkey squawked in surprise, before landing again, now a freshly roasted turkey.

Manny still looked forward in determination, but Diego spoke. "Manny, it's practically a minefield! We'll get killed."

"No. We go straight through."

"Nu-uh." Ellie protested. "Look, it's easy. We can head back and go around." The possums were nodding whole-heartedly at her statement, but Manny wouldn't budge so easily.

"We have no time. The dam will burst before we make it through if we go back!"

Ellie gestured ahead. "But if we go there, we'll get blown to bits! We go back!"

"Forward!"

"Back!"

"Forward!"

"Can I say something?" Diego piped up, but both glared at him, snapping simultaneously.

"No!"

"You are so stubborn!" Manny burst out, his frustration evident.

"Well," Ellie snorted. "I suppose it proves that I am a mammoth."

Diego then snarled, causing all of them to look at him, startled. "We don't have time to argue! Look!" He gestured backwards, and all of them turned, seeing the rock start to shift dangerously. "If we stand here arguing, we'll have no time _at all_ to get to the boat."

Manny nodded emphatically. "Which is why we should go there." He pointed to the geysers. "We have a much greater chance of making to the boat in time before the dam fully bursts. If we go back, we'll get killed."

Ellie opened her mouth to protest, but Diego beat her to it. "Ellie, if we go back, the earthquake will send those boulders crashing on us. Manny's right. We're going through the geysers." After a few seconds of hesitance, Ellie finally nodded, and the possums got onto her. Manny looked at her in determination once again, before nodding at her as well, and then charging through the 'minefield'.

There was running and screaming, before something hit Manny. He only faintly registered it, his blurry head unable to take in the sounds around him. Diego and Sid entered his vision, but Ellie was nowhere in sight. Both were shouting something at him - well, _Diego_ was. Sid was screaming to the other side of the 'minefield'. Finally, his words became clear.

"Manny, come on! We have to go now!" Manny stumbled up, nearly crashing into Ellie, who happened to run into his way. Both continued running, Ellie taking the lead, surprisingly. Manny continued running, following her, but was shoved to the right by Diego, who narrowly avoided the exploding geysers, yelling at him. "_That_ way!"

Obeying Diego's instructions, Manny moved on, blurry registering the geysers around them, and Sid, along with the possums, screaming at the top of their lungs as they ran to and fro, having dropped from Ellie's back, and currently following Ellie's maniac footsteps, trying to get out yet stay safe. Suddenly, Manny felt something shove him to his left, and then winced as a geyser exploded right next to him.

When they were reaching the end, it was only there that Manny noticed something wrong, and looked around. "Wait." All of them turned, though only briefly. Manny's mind now registered what, or, rather _who_ was missing. "Where's Diego?"

Everyone look around, not seeing anything but geysers. "I can't see him!" Ellie shouted over the noise.

"Let's just leave! He's probably already made it!" Eddie screamed as another geyser erupted.

"No!" Manny had a sinking feeling in his gut. Something that was telling him to look around. Sid suddenly called out.

"There!" Without thinking, Manny charged in that direction, avoiding the geysers, before his heart sank. He froze, staring down.

"No." He murmured. "No. No. Diego." Diego was on his side, his hazel green eyes open, glassy, and unseeing. His fur was wet, but it didn't take much to realise in that split second. Manny understood immediately.

He remembered the push to the left. The one that had _him_ narrowly missing the geyser…but what about the one who pushed him away?

Manny tenderly lay a trunk on the still flank of Diego, desperately hoping for some sort of miracle, some sort of sign that he was alive. But no. He stayed cold. Manny took away his trunk, now slightly damp, and stared ahead.

It was all too simple.

And that was what made it all the worse to his death.

Diego had been hit by a geyser.

A deep shuddered breath came from Manny, before he turned, hearing his name called out. He quickly grabbed Diego, shoving him on his back. He had time to mourn later. But now, he had no time. He had to get himself and Diego away. That was the least he could do for Diego.

He hurried to the sound of the voice, noticing how Ellie and the others seemed to not be able to notice how Diego still wasn't beside him, beside him living, breathing, running, shouting.

Instead, he swallowed it all down, and followed Ellie and the others to the end of the minefield, where they all stopped for a few second, unaware of the events that were about to trigger.

* * *

Scrat scrambled on the side of the ice, trying to properly grab his nut, which was trapped in the ice. He started to crawl up, using his nut as a sort of ledge/equipment in order to get up to the very ledge.

At that moment, a crack came from his nut. Scrat groaned. _Not again_. However, the crack would prove to be helpful to the other animals. The ice split in half, and grabbed the nut, trying desperately to keep the ice together, unaware of the water that was seeping into the crack, finally being released, like a crack in the basin of water.

* * *

They looked around in amazement as the water started subsiding. "The water's going down!" Sid shouted in joy.

Eddie rolled his eyes. "Well done, Captain Obvious." But Ellie turned to Manny, now noticing the absence of a member.

"Manny? Where's Diego?" At this, everyone turned to Manny, who remained silent. "Manny?" Ellie asked, in concern. "Where's Diego?" With a resigned sigh, Manny slowly reached up and gently settled Diego on the ground.

Eddie and Crash stared in shock at the corpse. Ellie backed away slightly, eyes wide in shock and horror. Sid swallowed slowly, before exhaling shakily. "Manny?"

Manny was silent, now finally letting the emotions wash over him. Blood was now trickling at the edge of Diego's mouth, making it's way down one of Diego's canine teeth, slowly making a puddle of blood beneath Diego's head. Manny could only stare, breath shuddering.

"Manny." He looked at Ellie, who looked at horror-stricken as he was.

Diego, out of all people, did not deserve this. He had killed, though indirectly, his pack leader, betrayed his pack to save his new 'herd', and had risked his life to safe Manny's.

Another shuddering breath, and Manny looked up at the sun shining brightly. Gently lifting Diego up, he brought Diego with him to the water, where he gently layer him down. He could sense Ellie place a comforting trunk on his shoulder, and turned around, expression forlorn.

He looked back at Diego. He looked so serene.

What a good way to feel after death.

* * *

Manny looked at Sid, emotions hurling themselves one after another at him. After Diego's death, Manny finally gained the courage to ask Ellie to be his mate, which she happily agreed to - or, at least, how happily one could be when one of their friends had died recently. The possums had gone with them, while Sid had left to be some 'fire king' for some sloths, or mini-sloths.

They had taken to following the mammoths, but after quickly becoming bored with their presence, had left to be a herd once again on their own, travelling with the animals wherever their instincts took them to…until they reached the place where they had lost Diego, and had also let Sid leave.

And now, after all this time, Sid had somehow located them and wished to rejoin their herd. Of course, Ellie was the first to speak. "Sure, Sid. It's good to have you back."

"Ellie!" Manny hissed at her, but she gave him a 'look', and he knew that he was hopeless to argue. After some grumbling, he had to admit that Sid's presence was now comforting, something familiar, even _original_. The only other one…no. End there. But if he had been there, he would have stopped Sid from joining, and the regret to well up in Manny's chest until today. "Fine. Stay. Welcome back, Sid."

A grin from the former 'Fire-King', and he happily rejoined them, looked around as Eddie and Crash came swinging by, landing perfectly on the floor.

"I want in again." Sid smiled. "I'm back!"

Eddie and Crash looked at one another, eyebrow raised, before Eddie spoke. "Brush your teeth, and we'll let you back in."

"Eddie!" Ellie scolded her younger brother.

* * *

Manny laughed as Peaches tacked Sid. "Ha! I'm still faster than you, _Uncle_ Sid!"

"Not fair. I'm not that old! I lost any of my looks." Eddie and Crash immediately pretended to gag behind him, and even Peaches backed away, her disgust clear (though it was slightly joking. The rest of the disgust was real).

"Ewww. _Sid_!"

Ellie chuckled as well as she joined them, smiling brightly at Manny, before looking as Buck joined them. The crazed, maybe even deranged, weasel had joined them after the herd had landed in the dinosaur world.

After they killed Rudy, Buck had joined them, and then they had returned to the world, the Ice Age when Peaches was born.

At that moment, a rustle to the side caught their attention. Shira emerged, looking satisfied with herself for some reason. Probably chased off some odd animal or other off, or won an argument with Dominic. After the adventure in the Dinosaur World, the continents had split, and the herd had been separated, finding the Pirate crew. After some persuading, Buck somehow managed to convince Shira to help them.

Manny had no idea how he did it: maybe with his skills with his blade, or whatever, but Shira joined them, single. That was, until a handsome saber-tooth tiger, Dominic, had joined the herd, and had stolen her heart…or at least, he _had_. Now, they were on mutual terms. He followed, looking sulky and confirming Manny's hypothesis that Shira had won an argument with Dominic

"Shira." Peaches beamed. "Tell Sid that he's old, and not attractive."

Shira smirked. "I'll do even better, Peaches. Sid, you're old, ugly _and_ single." Sid huffed, looking extremely offended.

"It's not _that_ surprising, is it?" A voice rasped from behind them, and Sid froze, staring at the animal that had appeared behind Manny and Ellie. Crash and Eddie stared, wide-eyed at the animal, Eddie stuttering, pointing as well. Buck, Peaches and Shira merely looked confused at the animal.

Manny turned slowly, with Ellie, both looking at the sabre. There was no mistaking who it was.

The saber-tooth tiger was thinner than the usual saber. His teeth, however, kept sharp and white. The last time Manny saw it, one of them had had blood trickling down it. His right ear had a large inch in it, but Manny didn't doubt that the saber hearing had gotten worse. His voice held sarcasm, and was one that Manny had been terrified of forgetting, which he had started to do.

But his eyes. His eyes were as bright as always, yet there was a new weariness in them that indicated that he had gotten older. His eyes were still the hazel-green that they had been, but they were now a darker green.

His trademark smirk adorned his features.

No. No. This _had_ to be a dream. Had to, had to, _had_ to. "Manny? Who's this?" Dominic asked, ready to attack if necessary.

The word was dazed and fell off his lips naturally. "Diego."

* * *

**AN: I know I'm supposed to be on hiatus and try and catch up on the different stories, but this one nagged at me until I just thought: FINE. I'll post it, and that's hopefully it until the end of the holidays (I know I'm the opposite of the usual writer, who will take the opportunity to publish more stories/chapters etc. I forgot which story this was based on, but many thanks to that story...**

**This is a one-shot for now, may turn into a series of one-shots about the stories in between this one, after and possibly before as well. Tell me what you think, and reviews are always welcome!**


	2. Logical Thoughts

Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.

Dominic frowned in the direction of the supposedly dead saber-tooth tiger. He scowled as Diego looked into the flames, the flames dancing like their reflections in Diego's hazel green eyes.

"We thought you were dead, buddy!" Sid beamed. He hugged Diego, but Diego only looked flatly at him.

"Sid, get _off _of me before I eat you whole." Sid backed away instantly. Dominic smirked. He was alright with the sloth, but there were times when Sid wouldn't respect _Personal Space_. And that was annoying. He looked over at Shira, his _former_, wow, that sounded weird to say, girlfriend. They had broken off on mutual terms when they realised that they were too alike.

Shira needed someone steady, someone who could balance her. She was tough, aggressive, and occasionally sweet. Dominic was all of this except for sweet, though he would occasionally unknowingly show that he cared. And Dominic had a feeling that Diego may be the one that Shira needed.

"How are you alive?" Crash asked. "That's amazing! You can rise from the Dead!"

Diego watched Eddie with an eyebrow raised. "I'll answer your question," He started, earning him a 'Yes!' of triumph from Eddie and Crash, "After you tell me who they are." He gestured to Buck, Shira, and Dominic.

"C'mon!" Crash sulked.

"This is Shira," Manny used his trunk to point at Shira, who eyed him curiously. Diego did the same. "Dominic," Both sabers looked at one another, gazes hard, almost glaring at each other. Almost everyone sensed the tension in the cave as Manny cleared his throat and hurriedly finished. "This is Buck,"

The weasel, quick as always, ran to examine Diego, who looked at him cautiously, and eyed Manny with a look that Dominic couldn't read, with Manny replying with another look. Buck didn't seem to notice as he examined Diego's teeth. "Short for Buckminster," He opened Diego's mouth and peered enough, only for Diego to snap it shut, with Buck getting out in time. "Long for Buh."

Dominic took this opportunity to examine Diego once more. He had heard stories, sure, about Diego, about how he had gotten killed the first time, or, according to Manny and Sid, got close to death, and then how Diego had saved Manny's life, but had gotten killed. Diego, apparently, was also one of the original members of the herd.

But there was something else, something that disgraced him, though the herd didn't know it.

He had killed his pack leader. Not directly, of course, but he head betrayed his pack, and had turned. That was treason for a saber, and Dominic suspected that was why he hadn't gone to another pack.

"Now how did you live?" Eddie demanded, getting up close.

"Eddie," Ellie's tone was reprimanding, but they could all tell that she, too, was anxious to know how Diego lived. Diego didn't tear his eyes away from the fire. When he spoke, he addressed Manny and Sid, though he still didn't look up. His expression remained impassive.

"Do you remember what happened with Soto and the pack?"

A small nod, with Manny looking at him in realisation. "You mean that when you," He cringed. "Died, the first time?"

"Yes." Diego's impassive face didn't change.

Dominic was slowly starting to understand this, though he was still shell shocked. Occasionally, sabers could, if they needed/wanted to, they could actually return from being dead. However, it could only do with a few sabers. And those sabers…he forced himself to continue his thought. Only Alphas…or leaders of packs could do it…was Diego a pack leader?

He desperately searched his thoughts, before looking at Diego. As if sensing his unasked question, Diego looked up. Their eyes met briefly, but it was enough to relax Dominic. _Are you?_

_No. We didn't choose, so all of us still kept it. _

_Then what about Soto?_

_Used them all up already. I wasn't so reckless._

_How many?_

_Why should I tell you?_

And that was the end of the conversation. Dominic noticed Shira and Diego sometimes glancing at one another, and smirked. Diego, according the stories, seemed a perfect match for Shira.

* * *

**AN: Hope you enjoyed that. Wrote that up in a few minutes, so excuse any mistakes. As always, reviews are welcome - so is criticism, but that doesn't mean you can just criticise me all you like.**


	3. Lost

Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.

Diego looked back from where he was now walking. After someone (he knew it was Manny) threw him in the sea when he had died, he had been brought alone by the current to somewhere, where the lake stopped and ended. He had rested for a while, before standing up and moving away.

It was painful.

His lungs were burning from where he had woken up at the very bottom of the sea.

Even though he could live after 8 'deaths', it doesn't mean that it didn't hurt. He ached all over, and his right side was stinging from the water seeping into it before. He sighed, and look back again.

After he had woken, he had realised that all the animals were already gone, and that he was practically in the middle of nowhere.

Wasting no time, he had gotten up, and instead of heading in the direction of the should-be returning animals back to their home, he had turned the other direction, and moved, sometimes dodging and hiding from any animals that he knew would tell Manny.

As of right now, he didn't even want _anyone_ to see him.

So he had wandered for several hours, trying to ignore the stinging in his side, and started limping (his right front paw had been crushed under a rock when he had woken) in the direction of the mountains. He knew where the pack should now be. With his luck, Lenny, Oscar and Zeke would also have already made it a few years back.

He sighed, remembering Soto's look of horror as the icicles fell on him and killed him instantly.

He wondered what the three sabres would say when they reached the pack, and saw…he sighed again. Killing your pack leader without challenging him was considered cowardice. Killing him because the saber befriended a herd of herbivores made it worse. The only way he could redeem himself was by doing something for the pack.

Stumbling through the rocks, he soon reached the icy landscape of the mountains, now completely white.

A small snow storm picked up, with snow falling heavily on him. His stomach growled…he hadn't eaten in _days _now. He needed food. Looking around his eyes lit up.

Lucky him.

A bird, possibly got knocked out of it's nest in the snow, was lying dead on the ground.

And Diego didn't even need to kill it. Without hesitation, he ate the bird. While eating, he wondered what the herd would say seeing him eat. Whenever he needed to hunt, he would wake up early and hunt, before the others awoke. And then, after that, he would leave them again in the afternoon to hunt once more.

At night, because of Sid's insistence that he stay in the cave with them, he had learnt how to go without a meal then.

He turned his head slightly so that the wind would not hit him in the face so hard, yet still continued marching forward.

It was nearly dawn of the next day when he reached his destination. A snarl from above caught his attention, and he looked up, dodging to the side as a saber leapt down.

The saber snarled at him, with Diego responding in kind, eyes narrowed at the sabre.

"Who are you?" The sabre snarled.

Diego didn't move from his stance as he answered. "Diego."

The sabre looked at him in astonishment. "Diego?" He asked cautiously. Diego frowned. Something about this sabre was familiar. The sabre looked sadly at him. "Diego. It's me."

Diego looked, eyes wide at his younger brother whom he had previously thought died already.

"Adi!"

* * *

**AN: Hope this is satisfactory. Big thank you to those who reviewed! After reading a fanfic about Diego have some siblings, I started toying with the idea…sorry for anyone who thought that this was going to be a continuation from the last chapter…this is a one-shot series, and I write what I like…Review, please!**


	4. Lacking

Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.

Manny sighed, and Ellie turned to him. "Manny?" She asked, her voice kind. Eddie and Crash had left not too long ago to gather 'ammunition' to annoy the mammoths with. Manny was thankful they were gone.

"I'm fine." He sighed again.

Ellie raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "Yes. That's why you look so sad."

It had been a few months since the Herd had separated, and now, Ellie, Manny, Crash and Eddie were travelling along with the mammoths. While it was nice knowing that there were still more mammoths, their lack of adventure in life made him miss the old times, when Sid would joke every night, and then call himself the 'Fire King', and Diego…

And Diego would make sarcastic and witty comments that had Manny chuckling, while Sid would look downcast, though all of them knew that Diego was joking.

Now, they would walk together in silence, with no sort of joy, and then sleep every night.

While it was nice, it was getting _boring_. He could tell Ellie felt the same way, but it was also probably because she didn't understand how mammoths were supposed to act like, and thought that this was normal.

But, even back then, Manny and his family would laugh together. They would enjoy the day.

When they died, he wandered alone until he met Sid and Diego, and had his crazy adventure with them, before they met Ellie.

And then, Diego died, and the Herd split up, with Manny joining a new Herd.

Was this how it was supposed to be?

Every one member of the Herd dying, and then him leaving or separating from them? He briefly wondered how Diego felt about joining a group of herbivores, but it was too late to ask him.

"Manny?" Ellie asked again, and Manny jolted back to the present.

"Sorry." He murmured.

"Are you ok?" Her soft voice was concerned.

"Do you think this is boring?" He asked, using his trunk to gesture to their surroundings.

"What?" She asked, clearly not understanding.

"Do you think life now is boring? Compared to before? Compared to when we still had Sid and…Diego?" His voice got slightly choked as he mentioned the second name, and Ellie bowed her head slightly.

"I don't know, Manny. Isn't this normal?"

"Yes, but not without any fun. Everyone's so gloomy." He looked around.

Ellie nodded. She agreed with him. If Crash and Eddie hadn't joined them, she was pretty sure that she would die of boredom. But underneath their pranks, she knew how much all of them missed Diego.

The sharp-tongued saber always seemed to be able to lighten the mood when it was dull, and was the strategist in the Herd, the one who made sure that they were all safe. She remembered the scene with the ledge well. Even though Manny and Ellie had been stubborn, his strict demeanour had made them cooperate, and she was thankful for that.

He also nearly risked his life in order to get them all to safety.

Elie stood up, and turned to Crash and Eddie. "Crash, Eddie, get ready. We're going to leave."

The possums stared at her, before whooping enthusiastically, and laughing in glee, dropping their berries. Manny lifted his head, confused as he stared at Ellie. Ellie smiled back at him.

"We're leaving?" He asked, clearly confused.

"You've been a mammoth longer than I have." Ellie pointed out. "If you think this is wrong, we'll be behind you the whole way."

Her eyes turned sad. "And Diego wouldn't want us to waste our lives, would he?" Manny looked up at the sky. The moon was full, haunting him constantly. He remembered the day well.

He remembered feeling the wet fur of the saber, and the blood trickling down his face. But most of all, he remembered the blank hazel green eyes, which stared at nothing in particular. He nodded. "Yes. We're going now."

* * *

Unknown to him, the same saber was now joining his new Pack, also thinking of the Herd he had left behind.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for how long it took. Hope this was okay!**


	5. Lives

Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.

Diego looked out over the snow-topped cliffs. The sight never failed to amaze him, even though he had seen this many times as a child before. The fresh snow behind him crackled as someone walked carefully forwards. "Di?" A voice from behind him made him turn. Diego smiled at his younger brother wearily.

"Adi."

The sabre walked forward, examining Diego carefully. "Are you ok? You seem tired."

It was no reason why, but both knew that Adi was asking solely for the reason that he wanted Diego to say it himself. To admit it. After all, when he came back to the pack, he had talked with his mother, Bea. She had been unbelievably supporting towards him, though the other sabres kept their distance at first. And then, when Adi relinquished title as Pack Leader to Diego, there had been outrage.

But Adi supported his brother.

And when the blizzard hit suddenly, Diego was the one who led the small groups of sabres to hunt for any poor animal caught in the blizzard.

After this incident, the sabres had been more accepting of Diego, and now treated him as a leader, but not as a normal sabre. After all, what kind of normal sabre betrayed his pack, joined a herd of herbivores, using up two of his lives in the process, and then returned to a pack instead of the herd?

This was absurd, though the Elders accepted Diego. That had forced everyone to accept him. As by Pack Law, they had to listen to the Elders.

But now, Diego was currently panicking inside.

The sabre Pack that were on the other side of the valley/mountain territory that Diego's pack had claimed were challenging the Pack for the territory. Most of the sabres were riled up at this, since the territory had been rightfully theirs for years. To lose it would mean that they were too weak. But they could also be seen as weak by deciding to avoid the challenge.

Diego had no idea what to do. All the sabres were looking at him for the answer, which he would have to give by midnight. And then, the fight would start.

If he accepted the challenge and won, he would get the territory the other sabre pack had, and might even get more sabres. However, if he lost, then the territory would be the other pack's, and the pack would be exiled.

"What do you think, Adi?"

The sabre was quiet for a while. "Accept it. There are more pros if we accept it than if we avoid or reject it."

Diego nodded, but said nothing.

This had the younger brother turning to the older. "Diego? Do they know about…" He trailed off, and Diego knew what he was talking about. If they knew that both Adi and Diego, the remaining fit sabres of the family still had their lives.

When sabre leaders had more children than necessary, but were still not sure which child to have as leader, they were all given the nine lives by one of the Elders. But when one of them is finally chosen, the others would lose the lives, though they would still stay alive. Because Soto had left before Diego's father had made a choice, and Diego had followed, he didn't do anything.

He continued leading, until he was killed by a human pack. After that, Adi took over the leader position, but was not officially called the leader of the sabre pack yet.

And now, since Diego was back and Soto was dead, Diego automatically got the role of leader.

"Speaking about lives, how many do you have?"Adi asked cautiously.

"How many do _you_ have?"

Adi smirked. "I asked first."

"7."

"8." Adi shrugged when Diego snapped his head round to him. "I lost it when you were gone. Another human raid into our pack." Diego nodded slowly, and looked out over the horizon. He frowned. "But even if you have 7, the sabre'll probably pound you until all your lives are gone when he sees that you are still alive."

"I'm not going to let him." Diego answered quietly.

"Who are you going to choose to fight?" Adi asked his older brother quietly.

Diego turned around. "Me."

Adi shook his head. "You'll be killed, even with _your_ skills."

Diego smirked at the unknowingly said compliment, but frowned. "Look, Adi." He turned around. "Who do you know will fight them? They're rogues. They don't have the laws we have of fighting."

"Then what makes you different?" Adi challenged. "Because you were with a herd of herbivores for about a year?"

Diego looked out where the sky was beginning to darken. He remembered faintly how Sid would be calling everyone back into the cave to light a fire and tell tales about the 'Fire King'. But, in this instance, it would soon be time to go and give his answer. He turned, and Adi followed, still expecting his answer. "Yes."

* * *

**AN: Ok, I know how loooooong it had been since I had updated, and I apologise. A LOT! I had some stuff going on, and put my writing for a quick hiatus, and am now continuing. Might post another chapter of 'Lived' on Wednesday...**


	6. Legend

Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.

* * *

**AN: I am INCREDIBLY sorry that this wasn't up yesterday…and here is the next chapter!**

* * *

Sid yawned as he woke, looking around. It had been a few months since he had joined the mini Sloths, and they were strting to get annoying, insisting on copying his every movement and his every word or sound he made.

Of course, he earned what he had wanted in return: Respect.

Respect that he had been sure none of the herd had felt towards him. They had only felt something like exasperation, and he was extremely pleased that the was not with them anymore. He tried to convince himself of the fact…except for the fact that he missed them.

Great.

Just great.

He looked down as he heard a small voice calling up to him, speaking in intelligent sentences. "Is Fire King ok? Dinner is ready and awaiting you, your highness." Sid waved her off.

"I'll be there in a minute."

The mini Sloth bowed, while the ones watching echoed his movement.

God.

Didn't they _ever_ get bored of doing this?

He sighed, and they mimicked the sound and slouched position.

Ok, maybe not.

Though he didn't say this out loud, he missed the herd, even after Ellie and her _annoying_ brothers joined…for what seemed to be a second before they were all separated once more, and Diego…

No. Don't think about it. He chided himself.

Anyway, he missed the way Manny would glare at him when he did something stupid, and how his eyes would soften sometimes when Sid actually said something worth listening to (not that he never said anything on the contrary), the way that Diego would usually snap back from his sentences with a sharp or witty comment.

He missed the way that Diego would turn and sometimes defend him from Manny, or even _agree_ with him. He missed Ellie's warm eyes and happy laughter, and the way that the twins would cackle whenever they had just done something crazy or had pranked someone.

God, he missed them all.

He was getting sentimental, a small voice in his head scolded him, but since when had he cared?

"Fire King? Dinner is ready." The same mini Sloth repeated, eyes wide as she looked at him.

And in that split second, Sid made a decision.

"No." Sid stood up. He threw down his crown. "I am leaving."

Collective gasps came from the mini Sloths who now came and stared openly at him, hands on their mouths or jaws hanging open, or eyes wide as they looked at him. "B-B-But you can't! What have we done wrong?!" The same mini Sloth asked him urgently.

Sid shook his head. "You didn't do anything wrong. I mean, I love to you guys, but I need to return to my old herd."

The mini Sloth frowned. "We can offer much if you stay."

"But I can't." Sid frowned as well, before walking away. The crowd parted for him like the waves had done so for Moses as he crossed. Sid turned back, pointing to the mini Sloth.

"You're in charge now."

The mini Sloth gasped, eyes wide, before Sid walked away. He was going to find his herd. His family. Hopefully he would find them back at the place where they had parted. After remembering Diego's death, Sid had (miraculously [He can do so, thank you very much]) remembered the way to and from the place from the mini Sloths' many trips to and fro, bringing him place to place.

He briefly considered what he was leaving behind. He was a legend to the mini Sloths…they might get lost without his guidance. But then shook his head, and continued on.

Not once did he look back.


End file.
